Hamptons Hideaway
by jareya
Summary: Kate and Rick escape to the Hamptons for a few memorable days. Future-fic set in 'Twin Lights' universe.
1. Time Together

_**A/N:**__ Something light and fluffy for the festive season…. The usual disclaimers apply._

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><p>"Ow!" Kate whispered. "You just elbowed me in the side."<p>

"Sorry," Rick whispered back, retracting the offending arm. "It's pitch-dark in here. I can't see a thing."

"_Shh._ I hear footsteps – I think she's coming closer."

Rick sighed. This was _not_ what he'd had in mind when he'd suggested to his wife that they escape to the Hamptons for a romantic interlude.

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><p><em>A week earlier…<em>

Rick had come up with the idea over breakfast, while he and Kate fed their two-year-old twins their cereal and fruit. As usual, Nathan was more interested in creating messy artwork from his food. Noel, on the other hand, had finished his breakfast in record time and was demanding that his father make him what, much to Kate's chagrin, had become a Castle family staple.

"Smorelette, Daddy! Smorelette!"

Kate looked up from coaxing Nathan to eat "just one more piece" of his apple. She glared at her husband. "If you hadn't introduced him to those things, he wouldn't be asking for them every single morning."

Rick raised his hands and gave Kate an innocent look. "What can I say? He's his father's son."

Kate smiled in spite of herself. "He certainly is."

She rose to her feet, wiped Nathan's face and picked a few stray pieces of food out of his dark hair before kissing the top of his head. She smoothed back her own hair and picked up her keys. Then she bent to kiss Noel, who was still chanting for a smorelette.

She shook her head, placing her cheek against his. "You've just had a pretty big breakfast, buddy, so no smorelette today. But if you're really good, we'll take you and your brother to Grandma's house tomorrow."

"Gamma!" Noel's green eyes lit up, all thoughts of sweet, gooey, chocolatey eggs forgotten. The twins loved their grandmother's eccentric, entertaining ways, and always looked forward to their visits with her.

Smiling, Kate bent to kiss her husband. "I've got to go. I'll see you all later." As she straightened, she yawned and stretched. "It's ridiculous to say this considering how crazy things always are at the end of the year, but I'm actually hoping for a slow day at the precinct. I've been…."

"… Tired lately," Rick completed for her, with concern in his blue eyes. "I've noticed. You've been working too hard, Beckett. You need some time off."

"I'm taking three days off after New Year's Day," she reminded him. "That's just a few days away."

"Well, your three days off will be spent running around after these two," Rick said, gesturing towards the twins, who were running around the living room at that very moment, yelling at one another in the special toddlers' language that Kate and Rick had given up on ever understanding. They had hit the 'terrible twos', and adorable as they were, they rarely gave their parents a moment of peace and quiet, except when they were asleep.

Rick gave Kate a pointed look. "Doesn't sound very restful to me. Literally." He paused, then raised a finger. "I have an idea."

"Uh oh." She grinned.

"No, seriously. You're going to love this one. Why don't we leave the twins with Mother for a couple of days and go up to the Hamptons?"

Kate looked doubtful. "I don't know, Rick."

"Just for a couple of days. The Hamptons will give you a chance to really relax and refuel before you have to go back to work." Rick knew that his wife's work responsibilities would only continue to grow. She was well-respected in the NYPD for her inspirational yet practical leadership style as a Lieutenant, and rumor had it that she would shortly be promoted to the rank of Captain. And yet, in spite of the rigors of her job, she was a hands-on mom, spending as much time with the twins as her busy schedule allowed. Just a few days ago, she had joined Rick in creating a Christmas experience for the family that Alexis had called "absolutely magical".

Kate's brow was furrowed as she considered Rick's proposal. "You don't think Martha will mind? They're such a handful."

"Mind?" Rick scoffed. "You know how much she loves having them over. They're the perfect audience – too young and innocent to be anything but delighted and entertained at everything she does."

Kate laughed. "Not to mention the perfect cast." Martha was always trying to teach the toddlers numbers from Broadway musicals.

Rick nodded. "And I'm sure Alexis would be happy to help out. Besides, we'll only be a phone call and a drive away if they need us."

Kate sighed. "It _would_ be nice to spend some time together, just the two of us, without having to worry about being interrupted." She dropped her voice. "And when I say 'some time together', I mean intimate, intense, _bone-melting_ time."

Rick started to choke on his coffee.

"I'll think about it," Kate said, smiling and rubbing his back. She gave him a final kiss. "We'll talk about it when I come home."

That night, when they'd finally managed to put the kids to bed after over an hour of increasingly desperate maneuvers, chases and bribes, Kate shut their bedroom door behind her and sagged against it in relief. She turned to Rick, smiling. "Let's do it."

* * *

><p>So they'd done it, dropping the children off with a delighted Martha and Alexis before driving to the Hamptons.<p>

Even the drive was relaxing, the roads almost free of traffic. When they arrived, they saw that as usual, Mrs. Matthews, the housekeeper, had prepared the house for their arrival, leaving behind fresh flowers and a note of welcome. When they had taken off their coats and turned on the coffee machine in the kitchen, Kate twirled around, breathing in the fresh floral scents and bracing winter air.

Rick smiled as he watched her, pleased that she'd agreed to their getaway. The house occupied a special place in their hearts for many reasons. It held some painful memories, but it had also been the scene of some of their most precious milestones – their first weekend away as a couple, several family vacations, and of course, their wedding.

Kate stopped mid-twirl and cupped a hand to her ear. "Do you hear that, Castle?"

Rick looked around. "What?"

"The sound of silence. No tantrums, tears or toys being tossed." Kate scrunched up her nose. "It's a little weird," she confessed.

Rick moved closer, taking her in his arms, thinking how adorable she was, and how beautiful – seemingly more beautiful each day. "Missing the little rascals already?"

"Is it that obvious?" She sighed, leaning her head against his shoulder.

Rick chuckled. "You did a good job of covering it up, but your chin did tremble a bit when we drove away from Mother's apartment."

Kate groaned. "I'm a sap."

"No, what you are is a great mom," Rick said softly, his arms tightening around her. "It's one of my favorite things about you." He moved back slightly to look into her eyes. "But you work so hard, Kate. You, more than anyone, deserve a few days of rest and serenity."

"And you?" Kate asked. "Are you missing them too?"

"Not really," Rick confessed. "I love the little guys, but right now I'm just happy to be here with you." He looked after the twins when their mother was working, and while he enjoyed spending time with them, he felt no guilt about taking a break from their lovable antics and incessant demands. It was worth it to spend some precious uninterrupted time with Kate.

"Well," Kate said, lifting her arms to link them around his neck. "Now that we're here, with all these rooms to ourselves…."

Rick grinned. "And three toddler-free days…."

Kate ran one hand through his hair. "We might as well put it to good use."

"What did you have in mind?"

"I don't know." She shrugged. "We could… read, or watch TV, or get something to eat."

Rick laughed, the sound rich and deep with pleasure. Her words were familiar, and special, but he knew that what they both craved was something neither of them wanted to delay any further. He swept her up into his arms. "Or we could just skip all that and get to the really good part."

Kate tightened her arms around his neck and grinned. "I like the way you think, Mr. Castle."

It wasn't long before they were completely caught up in the 'really good part'. They ended up, quite unexpectedly, in one of the guest rooms, chosen purely for its accessibility, as the master bedroom had suddenly seemed much too far away.

And then, through their fog of mutual desire, they heard it. It was Mrs. Matthews' lilting voice, accompanied by her brisk footsteps. For some unfathomable reason, she'd come back.

"Mr. Castle? Mrs. Castle?"

They froze in position, up against the wall.

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><p><em><strong>AN:**__ Just one more chapter to go…._


	2. Unexpected Delights

_A/N: Thanks for the response to the first chapter. If you read it early on, you might notice that there's been a change – I'm now referring to the housekeeper as Mrs. Matthews. Back to our couple…._

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><p>In their haste, and never dreaming that they might be interrupted, they'd left the door to the guest room wide open. Poor Mrs. Matthews was moments away from an unforgettable eyeful.<p>

"Quick," Kate whispered sharply. "In the closet."

"In the…?"

"You heard me."

Rick realized from the steel in her voice that she meant business. So they dove into the closet, shut the door and waited, still speaking in whispers, while Mrs. Matthews's voice echoed through the house.

"I don't even remember what we did with our clothes," Castle commented. At the time, they'd been too caught up in the moment to register where each garment had landed as it was removed, but wherever their discarded clothes were, there was a good chance they'd already been spotted by the eagle-eyed, primly efficient housekeeper.

"We'll just wait here until she leaves," Kate said. "She'll probably think we went for a walk –"

"Naked?"

"Or a swim. Or _something_."

_Yes_, Rick mused to himself. _We went for **something**, alright_. And he was still annoyed that they'd been interrupted while they were getting it. This was _not_ what he'd had in mind for their romantic getaway.

And then, moments later, "_Shh_. I hear footsteps – I think she's coming closer."

The housekeeper's voice was tentative, but loud enough to show that she was a few feet away, perhaps hovering around the doorway. "Mr. Castle? Mrs. Castle? Are you in here?"

They froze again.

"Mr. Castle? Mrs. Castle?" she repeated.

It occurred to Rick that if they didn't answer, she might come even closer. He cleared his throat. "Uh, yes, we're here, Mrs. Matthews. In the, uh, bathroom." Beside him, Kate choked back a mortified giggle.

The housekeeper's answering sigh spoke of her relief. "I just wanted to be sure you were alright. I saw the car, but…."

"We're fine, Mrs. Matthews," Rick replied. "Was there something you needed?"

"No, I just went shopping for some more groceries, and when I saw that you'd arrived, I wanted to check with you that I'd picked up the right kind of cheese. And when I couldn't find you… I guess I just… I got a little worried."

"Thank you, Mrs. Matthews," Kate called out. "I'm sure whatever you got will be fine. You can just leave it in the kitchen."

"Yes, yes, I will." The housekeeper paused, clearly self-conscious and embarrassed. "I'm so very sorry for bothering you, but I just wanted to be sure –"

"It's okay, Mrs. Matthews. Thank you. See you on Sunday."

After they exchanged their farewells and Mrs. Matthews left, the Castles cautiously emerged from the closet. They only had to take one look at each other before they fell apart, shaking with laughter.

* * *

><p>They were still laughing hours later, over dinner.<p>

"Beckett, remind me again why we were hiding in a closet," Rick said, while serving Kate seafood pasta.

"Well, I don't know about you, Castle, but I wasn't about to inflict a sight like that on a nice, unsuspecting lady in the middle of the day. She would have been absolutely traumatized." Kate dug in with her fork. "What I don't get is why she was so determined to find us."

"I don't get it either." Rick shrugged. "Maybe she genuinely thought something might have happened to us."

Kate scoffed. "With a cop in the house?" Then she tilted her head. "But I guess she's become more cautious since…." She didn't finish the statement, but she didn't have to. Rick's disappearance in the Hamptons had made them all a little more vigilant, even years later. Mrs. Matthews was close to the family, and while she knew that Kate worked in the police force, she rarely, if ever, saw Kate's professional side. Her concern might have been over the top, but it was understandable.

"I still don't see why we had to hide from her," Rick grumbled. "We're _married_. I have a feeling she already knows that Nate and Noel weren't delivered by the stork."

Kate rolled her eyes. "That doesn't mean she needs to see the process in graphic detail."

"True, but the closet? It took her a while, oddly, to figure it out, but let's face it, by the time we spoke to her, she knew exactly what we'd been doing. We could have shut the door, or even gotten in bed and pulled up the covers. It would have been just as effective, and probably a lot less painful." As he spoke, Rick suddenly recalled spying Kate's black lace panties underneath the bed when they emerged from the closet. He'd forgotten to retrieve them, a fact that he quickly decided not to mention. He made a mental note to himself to get them later.

Kate sighed. "Okay, so maybe Mrs. Matthews isn't the only one who overreacted. But it's not completely my fault. A certain _someone_ has a long and well-established history of getting me into enclosed spaces." She gave him a pointed look. "Let's just say I acted out of force of habit."

Rick smiled. "Well, if I have to share a cramped, uncomfortable space with anyone, I'm glad it's with you."

Kate smiled back. "Same here. But still… maybe we should go shopping tomorrow."

Rick gave her a curious look. He thought Mrs. Matthews had purchased everything they'd requested. "What for?"

"A _Do Not Disturb_ sign."

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><p>The next morning, they both stirred early, their bodies attuned to the crack-of-dawn wake-up calls with which parents of toddlers are all too familiar. Unable to go back to sleep, they decided to take an early walk on the beach. It was cold, so they dressed appropriately, taking a blanket for extra warmth.<p>

They walked for a while in companionable silence, their hands touching, with the blanket spread over their shoulders. Then they settled on a large rock to watch the sunrise, Kate sitting in Rick's lap while he wrapped them in the blanket.

Kate leaned her head against the top of Rick's and breathed in deeply. "This is _perfect_."

"Glad you came?" Rick hoped she'd been able to relax enough to really clear her mind of the stress and activity of everyday life. After dinner the night before, they'd had a Skype conversation with Nathan and Noel, a typically hilarious one in which the twins had insisted on singing all the songs that 'Gamma' and 'Lexis' had taught them. Then Kate and Rick had gone to bed early for a long, leisurely night that had left them feeling completely unwound.

"So glad," Kate replied. "I miss the twins – I can't believe your Mom actually taught them _All That Jazz_, by the way – but I needed this, especially now."

Rick nodded. "I know how busy things have been at work. It's been a crazy year." As always, Kate had distinguished herself professionally through her diligence and dynamism, but it hadn't been easy. There'd been many tough days for her, long hours spent working with her team on enormously challenging cases.

"That's true," Kate acknowledged. "But it's not exactly what I meant." She spoke slowly as she looked out at the sparkling water and the changing colors of the sky above it. "Castle, do you ever stop and think of how much our lives have changed over the years?"

Rick could only nod as he watched her, caught up in the wistful look in her eyes, the way her hair spilled over her shoulders, the small smile playing about her lips. He did often think of how much she'd changed _his_ life for the better, how she'd brought him more joy than he'd ever dared hope for.

"I miss some of the things we've left behind," Kate continued. "I wish we got to work together more."

He took her hand and squeezed it gently. "Me too." He still consulted for the NYPD now and again, but generally they'd both known and agreed that when children arrived, he'd be needed at home.

With her free hand, Kate pushed back a lock of hair that the chilly wind had whipped into her face. "But I love this life we've made together, and I wouldn't have it any other way." She looked down at him and placed a gentle hand against his cheek. "I love you, Rick."

Rick felt his heart skip a beat as he brought his face closer to hers. She still had that effect on him, could still hold him spellbound. "I love you too, Kate."

They kissed, and when they looked up, the world around them had brightened, the sun lifting over the waters, suffusing the sky with light. They sat in serene silence, looking out at the beauty arrayed before them, at peace, perfectly content.

Then, "I have something to tell you," Kate said. "You know how I've been tired lately? I mentioned it to Lanie, and –"

Rick's arm tightened around his wife's waist as he listened. He'd noticed her tiredness, and worried about it, but he'd genuinely thought it was stress-related. If it was something more serious…. His mouth was suddenly dry, and he forced himself to swallow.

Kate must have noticed his tension, because she took his face between her palms and looked into his eyes. "Hey, relax. I'm fine. But we have another big change coming." As she looked at him, a smile spread over her face, one that seemed brighter and purer than the rising sun. "I'm pregnant."

If there was one thing Rick had learned about Kate Beckett early on, it was that she was full of surprises, a treasure trove of undiscovered delights. And yet, the two words she had just spoken took a long moment to register. Then, just as her smile started to fade, the message sank in and Rick rose to his feet, pulling her up with him, the blanket falling to the rocks as he swung her around in his arms until they were both laughing with pure joy.

He had a million questions. "When? How?" After the twins, they'd shared a tacit agreement that their family was complete.

She quirked a brow. "I think you know how. If I recall correctly, we spent most of last night engaged in that very activity."

"But you're on the –"

"I know; that's exactly what I said to Lanie when she suggested a pregnancy test. It's rare, of course, but it happens. And as to _when_, I just found out last night. Remember when I made you stop at a drugstore on the way to the Hamptons?"

"For some aspirin."

"Yeah, that's what I said. What I didn't say was that I also wanted to pick up a test. A few tests, actually, just to be sure. And… I'll make an appointment to confirm it, of course, but after four tests, I'm pretty sure."

The clues all started to fit together. Rick finally understood why she'd asked him to wait in the car while she ducked into the store, and why she'd emerged clutching her purse tightly – something he'd found slightly odd at the time, but had quickly dismissed. Now he realized why she'd spent so much time in the bathroom the night before, and why she'd seemed so exhilarated in bed. He'd ascribed it to her relaxed state, but now he knew that she'd been carrying a stunning secret. "How are you feeling?" he asked. "If you're still tired, we should probably call Dr. Gilpin."

"I feel great, Rick. And there's plenty of time to see her when we get back."

Rick slid a hand reverently over her stomach. It was still so flat that he could hardly believe that their child was nestled within it. His mind was racing. Soon she would start to show; she would be glowing and beautiful as her body nurtured their child. And then the baby would arrive. For some reason, Rick had a startlingly clear vision of a girl, with her mother's beautiful hazel eyes and adorable smile. Almost immediately, he discarded it as a flight of fancy – all he wanted was a healthy child. He couldn't wait.

"So," she said, still smiling at him. "I guess you're happy."

"Ecstatic." His lips found her cheek, lips, forehead. "Thank you, Kate," he said softly. "This is the best New Year's gift ever."

"Yeah, it is," she replied. "I know we weren't expecting this, and it wasn't 'planned', but it feels… right, you know?" She sighed. "Hang on to your horses, it's going to be another crazy year, Castle. Maybe the craziest yet. Are you ready?"

Rick smiled and, unable to resist, kissed her once more. He never wanted to stop. "Always."

Later, after they retrieved their blanket and commenced the walk back home, Kate laughed as a thought occurred to her. "What if it's twins again?"

Rick laughed and groaned at the same time. With the relentless demands of Kate's job, his writing and the twins, one more child would be challenging. More than one would be something else entirely. "Twin toddlers _and_ twin infants?" he asked. "Basically, we would never sleep again."

"Don't worry, partner," Kate said, slipping an arm around his waist and cuddling into his side. "Whatever happens, we'll deal with it together. And whenever it gets a little overwhelming, we can always go hide in the closet."

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><p><em><strong>AN:**__ I wrote this little fic for several reasons. The first and most important was to say 'thank you' to all of you for your support this year. To everyone who's ever read, reviewed, followed, favorited or shared one of my stories, __**THANK YOU**__. It means the world to me. For the readers of 'Hi Dad', we're at a pretty heavy point in that journey, and I wanted to give you something fun and fluffy for the holidays. And lastly, this was an opportunity to start working on a story idea from the lovely __**hfce**__, about the arrival of the Castles' lastborn, Elaine (in my Interview series AU). _

_Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing. Here's to a wonderful 2015 for us all!_


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